


rubicon

by krusca



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:25:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krusca/pseuds/krusca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate end to Captain America: Civil War</p>
            </blockquote>





	rubicon

"I can do this all day," and Tony wonders why he even bothered. This is Steve Rogers, the man who never gives up, never surrenders.

 

Tony lifts his hands, fires up his repulsors, feels Barnes grab his leg, and turns, kicks him in the face.

A mistake, to turn your back to ~~a friend~~ an enemy.  Steve picks him up, but Tony heaves to the side as FRIDAY immediately guides his one good rocket boot to pull Steve off balance.

 

Tony's armor clangs as he falls in the gaps between the cement pillars. It's a tight space, hard to maneuver and regain his leverage. He tries to sit up, his back to the open mountainside, but Steve's already grabbed his shield and launches himself at Tony. He desperately fires one repulsor to the ground the other at Steve trying to regain balance from his awkward half standing position but Steve rushes him slamming the edge of the shield into his chest.

 

The strength behind the blow forces them to stumble and skid, sparks flying as the casing shatters and his arc reactor flickers out.

 

A pause, as both men freeze.

 

A man in heavy armor, a vibranium disc embedded into his chestplate, which in turn is held by a super soldier, _and when did the ground run out?_ They both realize a split second too late as the laws of physics claim Tony, the force of the blow still exerting the object into motion a little too far past the edge and tipping him over. As Steve desperately tries to pull back on the shield and reach for Tony with both hands but it's too late,  too late,

 

a force exerted cannot be undone and

 

Tony falls. The rocky mountain side rushes past him, his propulsion systems silent, his arc reactor dead, and pieces of the casing that once protected his power source whipping through the air around him. No power, no FRIDAY, just the screaming wind and the world a blur through his eye slits as he free-falls.

 

This time there is no one to catch him. No Hulk, or Thor, or Rhodey... Rhodey. _This is what it felt like,_ he thinks as he plummets faster and faster, _the helplessness and fear,_ and he closes his eyes. 

It's his fault Rhodey is paralyzed because he couldn't convince the rest of the team to sign, and now he's going to leave Rhodey alone to deal with this mess he's created. He couldn't even start the cybernetic legs for Rhodey that he had planned. Rhodey's put up with so much of his shit and all Tony's leaving behind for Rhodey are a pair of bum legs and the world breathing down his neck and he can't breathe, the regret clawing at his throat-

Pepper. He's going to hurt her again (but maybe not as much, since they're ~~broken up~~  on a break). He clings to that thought, hopes Pepper never loved him like he loved her because what he felt when he saw her fall into the fire was so indescribably painful, hopes she never feels that kind of pain. He'd been able to make her smile once upon a time, and that is more than he could've asked for. He prays that Pepper finds happiness and peace because she deserves it.

Happy... he hopes Happy won't be too sad, loyal, selfless Happy who was so protective of him and never once complained despite Tony putting him thru the wringer. Happy is a good man and Tony knows that he'll have far less headaches no longer having to worry about him while trying to keep Pepper safe.

 

And Steve.

 

Steve

 

Steve

 

Steve

 

He can't stop thinking about him, _liar_ (Captain America is a good man Captain America never lies), stubborn, holier-than-thou self-righteous _asshole_ (reliable teammate, unexpectedly and delightfully sassy, kind, so kind, killing him with his kindness) the one person worthy of the great Howard Starks attention.

And Howard, the one who helped create Captain America, the one who created the shield, and the one who created him.

Isn't that ironic, how even in death, Howard's biases show, the things Howard created and loved kills the thing Howard created but never loved. ( _"You're my greatest creation"_ but then why couldn't Dad  show that love while he was still breathing _why why why why why_ )

 

It's all Howards fault, it's all Steves fault, it's not even really Barnes's fault but he doesn't care because in the end its all Tony Starks fault, his own damn fault and this is how it was always going to end. He could try to be a hero but who was he fooling, Howard never believed he could be more, and the Avengers was a good run, but in the end his own selfish nature couldn't be hidden

_I guess this is what Dad saw in me, this ugly monster, thank God he made sure to make something good to take out the trash._

 

His final thought, and he would honestly laugh at the absurdity of it if he weren't falling to his death, _"Hey guess what Mom! Captain America literally broke my heart-"_

 

* * *

 

The wind howls, but Steve still hears the crunch of the red and gold armor hitting the snow and ice covered rock hundreds of feet below.

 

And he finally falls to his knees, he finally surrenders, and screams.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to [Valmasy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valmasy/pseuds/Valmasy) for first round of betaing, all final mistakes are mine
> 
> I chose "implied character death" tag but not the Major character death because I'm a wimp and I do have...an entire idea of what comes after or if tony is really even dead but i suck and can't commit to a longer fic lmao,,,maybe one day,,;;;;,if someone forces me to??? idk


End file.
